More than 36.8k child marriages stopped in MP between Apr 2023 and Aug 2025: JRC founder

Bhopal, Sep 1 (PTI) Nearly 37,000 child marriages were stopped in the last two years and 4,777 child victims of human trafficking were rescued in Madhya Pradesh with the help of government agencies, a functionary of an organisation working for the protection of child rights said on Monday.

Just Rights for Children founder Bhuwan Ribhu also said by stopping 3,74,000 child marriages nationwide, rescuing one lakh children from human trafficking, providing mental health treatment to 34,000 children who are victims of sexual exploitation and initiating legal action in 63,000 cases, India has proved it could become a nation where no one will be able to escape the law after committing crimes against children.

"JRC, along with more than 250 NGOs of the country, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, stopped 36,838 child marriages in 41 districts of Madhya Pradesh between April 2023 and August 2025, freed 4,777 children victims of human trafficking and helped more than 1200 children victims of sexual exploitation," he said.

The work of JRC in collaboration with law enforcement agencies in just these two years proves that children will indeed be safe if the law is implemented with purpose and urgency, Ribhu told reporters.

"By registering more than 1000 cases of online sexual exploitation of children in the cyber world, we have given a clear message that the rule of law will protect every child everywhere," he asserted.

The rate of child marriage in Madhya Pradesh is 23.1 per cent, which is marginally lower than the national average of 23.3 per cent, though the situation in districts like Rajgarh (46 per cent), Sheopur (39.2 pc), Jhabua (36.5 pc) and Agar Malwa (35.6 pc) is serious, he added.

"In MP, 17 partner organisations of the JRC network have been working in 41 districts for the last two years. This network works on a dual strategy of spreading awareness and legal intervention measures to prevent child marriage, child trafficking, child sexual abuse and child labour. JRC is also supports 'Child Marriage Free India' campaign that aims to eliminate the practice by 2030," he said. PTI MAS BNM